A preview screening of the TV anime "Yomi no Tsugai," based on the latest work by Hiromu Arakawa, known for popular manga such as "Fullmetal Alchemist," was held on March 22nd at Shinjuku Piccadilly (Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo). The cast members who appeared were Kensho Ono(voice of Yul), Yume Miyamoto(voice of Asa), Yuichi Nakamura(voice of Della), Misaki Kuno(voice of Gab-chan), and Junichi Suwabe ( voice of Ging). Ono commented on the anime, saying, "It's just amazing."
Ono shared his impressions of reading the original work, saying, "I was engrossed in it and read up to the latest volume, and I really felt Arakawa-sensei's style. While the story continues with serious developments, there are also comical scenes that are interspersed little by little, and very enjoyable scenes of everyday life, and the balance was exquisite. After being cast as Yuru, I read the story with Yuru as my focus, and I felt that he was truly pitiable, or rather, he had a lot on his shoulders, so I read it with the feeling that I was watching over him to see how he would make decisions and choices."
Miyamoto said, "I really love Arakawa-sensei's work, especially the anime 'Silver Spoon,' and I often watched Arakawa-sensei's works because they depict everyday life in a gentle way. This work gives a solemn impression in the trailer, but there are also everyday gag parts and calming scenes like in 'Silver Spoon,' so I really liked the gap between those and the serious scenes. I remember being excited to see what kind of tempo it would have when it was animated and what kind of performances the cast members would give. Also, there will be many partners called 'Tsugai' appearing from now on, so I'm looking forward to seeing how they will be depicted in the anime."
Nakamura said, "When I first saw it at the audition, the original manga hadn't been released yet, so I didn't know where the story would go. I can't talk about what's happened recently here, but I'm getting more and more engrossed in it." Suwabe said, "It's interesting. I'm still curious about what happens after the latest volume. I'm rooting for Jin!" Kuno said, "When I first read the original manga, I was shocked by the world and setting. I felt Arakawa-sensei's originality and the brilliance of her imagination, creating a world and characters with such detail that I'd never seen in any other work. I couldn't predict what would happen next, so it was really exciting to read."
Ono said of the anime, "It's simply amazing. I've been reading the original manga for so long, and now it has voices, colors, and music, and the image I had in my mind has really expanded. I was excited the whole time. Especially in episodes 1 and 2, it's a panic for Yuru!" Miyamoto said, "It's really interesting! As Asa, I'm a little worried about how people who aren't familiar with the original manga will react to episodes 1 and 2. I was moved not only by the story but also by the music, and my first impression was that I was thrilled by the fast-paced background music."
Nakamura said, "Murase (Ayumu) was in it! In episodes 1 and 2, he plays Gabriel, Gab-chan's mate. He appears in various roles, so please pay attention to him. I also saw him struggling at the voice recording studio, so I think Murase is the one who is most interested (laughs)." Kuno reflected, "The visuals and music were wonderful, and I was deeply moved. I myself have never had the opportunity to play a role like Gab-chan before, so it was a challenging role for me. From Gab-chan's perspective, Gab-chan does something outrageous. Even Gab-chan watched episode 1 withドキドキ (excitement/nervousness)."
Suwabe hinted, "Those of you who have read the original work probably have a general idea of the world and story, but if I explain it, it will spoil the surprise, so everyone in the audience, something incredible is going to happen next."
Ono said, "Yuru is a young man who lives in a remote mountain village, not wealthy but reasonably happy. I also have the personal impression that he had to grow up quickly due to his environment, such as not having parents. In the original work, he gave off a mature impression, but as I read on, I realized he was actually quite young. In the first two episodes, his younger sister Asa is his only blood relative, and I am careful to portray him in a way that shows how much he cares for Asa and how he speaks to her in a way that makes her feel safe."
Miyamoto commented, "Asa is Yuru's younger sister. She has a deep relationship with Gab-chan, so I hope you'll look forward to that as well. When I was doing the voice recording, I wanted to be mindful of the blood relation since she's Yuru's twin. There are times when we use similar phrasing in our lines, so I'm trying my best to match Ono-san's way of speaking a little."
Nakamura introduced the character by saying, "Della is a traveling merchant who occasionally comes to the village where Yuru lives to sell the goods he has brought with him. He's like a good-natured older brother to Yuru. And he's someone who knows a little more about this world than everyone else." Kuno revealed, "Gab-chan always wears a red hoodie, and her braids are her charm point. Also, before the recording for episode 1 began, I had a meeting with the staff by myself, and I was given special information directly from Arakawa-sensei about Gab-chan's settings that aren't depicted in the original manga, and I used that information to create the character." Suwabe also explained, "Jin is everyone's favorite suit-wearing, glasses-wearing guy. He's good at his job, and has a mean look in his eyes."
Finally, Suwabe said, "The TV broadcast will start in April. I think it's a work worthy of you all enjoying on this big screen with wonderful sound today. You can watch it on TV every week from April, so I would be happy if you would continue to support us for a long time." Kuno said, "Thank you all for coming today. The cast members put their all into the voice recording, and Arakawa-sensei and the staff worked hard and poured their hearts and souls into it so that we were able to reach this day. I am so happy and pleased that the day has come when you can see it on such a big screen." Nakamura said, "Thank you for coming today. We have put our all into it, and the staff have also sent it out with the best possible intentions to create something great, so I would be happy if you would fully embrace it. And I hope you will understand the meaning of the title 'Yomi no Tsugai'."
Miyamoto said, "There were many things we couldn't talk about before the screening, but the event on April 5th will be the day after the first episode airs, so I think we'll be able to open up and talk about a lot of things. The official hashtag will be '#Yomitsuga', so I would be happy if you could post your thoughts on today's event using the hashtag." Ono added, "Actually, Miyamoto and I visited Arakawa-sensei's workplace once and talked to her about her thoughts and how Tsugai came to be. We felt a lot of energy there, and we also felt her passion for this work. Currently, we are proceeding with the recording smoothly. There are plans for you to see the recording process somewhere in the future, and while we are looking forward to everyone finally being able to see it, we are also a little anxious about whether you will enjoy it. We are making it with confidence, so please look forward to the broadcast starting in April!"
"Yomi no Tsugai" is the story of Yuru and Asa, twins born as "night and day separated." It has been serialized in "Monthly Shonen Gangan" (Square Enix) since December 2021, and the comic series has sold over 5 million copies in total.
The TV anime will be produced by Square Enix, Aniplex, and Bones, the same companies that produced the "Fullmetal Alchemist" anime series that aired and was released from 2003 to 2011. Masahiro Ando, known for "Sword of the Stranger" and "Blast of Tempest," will serve as director. Kensho Ono will voice the protagonist, Yul, and other cast members include Yume Miyamoto Miyamoto as Asa, Yuichi Nakamura as Dela, and Misaki Kuno as Gab-chan. It will air from 11:30 PM on April 4th on TOKYO MX, BS11, and other channels.
